Virtual Humans and Conversational Agents

Principal Investigator at Research Triangle Institute leading the
development of interactive emotive virtual humans with
emotions that affect their body
and facial gestures, decision-making, and language generation (Funding from
National Science Foundation,
commercial, and government clients).† RTIís AVAtalkô
technology creates responsive, individual virtual personalities
(www.rvht.info). In an
AVAtalkô -enabled application,
users carry on spoken conversation with a simulated person (an avatar) and see and hear realistic
responses from the avatar.† RTIís
ExhibitARô is an interactive
kiosk for tradeshows and promotional events. It features male and female
virtual people who talk with and respond to
kiosk visitors with informative and
enjoyable spoken dialog.

Abstract:

We describe the Virtual
Standardized Patient (VSP) application, having a computerized
virtual person who interacts with medical practitioners in much the
same way as actors hired to teach and evaluate patient assessment and
interviewing skills. The VSP integrates technologies from two successful
research projects conducted at Research Triangle Institute (RTI). AVATALKô provides natural language
processing, emotion and behavior modeling, and composite facial expression and
lip-shape modeling for a natural patient-practitioner dialogue. Trauma Patient
Simulator (TPS) provides case-based patient history and trauma casualty data,
real-time physiological modeling, interactive patient assessment, 3-D scenario
simulation, and instructional record-keeping capabilities. The VSP offers
training benefits that include enhanced adaptability, availability, and
assessment.

A Test of Responsive Virtual Human Technology as an
Interviewer Skills Training Tool.
With Link, M.W., Armsby, P. P., and Hubal,
R.
Proceedings of the 2002 Annual
Conference of the American Association for
Public Opinion Research
, St. Petersburg. 2002.
(htm) ,
(doc)

Abstract:

Research on survey non-response suggests that advanced communication and
listening skills are among the
best strategies telephone interviewers
can employ for obtaining survey participation,
allowing them to
identify and address respondents' concerns immediately
with appropriate, tailored language.
Yet, training on interaction
skills is typically insufficient, relying
on role-playing or passive learning through lecture and videos.
What is required is repetitive,
structured practice in a realistic work environment.
This research examines acceptance by trainees of an application based on responsive virtual human technology (RVHT) as a tool for teaching refusal avoidance skills to telephone interviewers. The application tested here allows interviewers to practice confronting common objections offered by reluctant sample members. Trainee acceptance of the training tool as a realistic simulation of "real life" interviewing situations is the first phase in evaluating the overall effectiveness of the RVHT approach. Data were gathered from two sources -- structured debrief questionnaires administered to users of the application, and observations of users by researchers and instructors. The application was tested with a group of approximately fifty telephone interviewers of varying skill and experience levels. The research presents findings from these acceptance evaluations and discusses users' experiences with and perceived effectiveness of the virtual training tool.

Abstract:

In this paper, we describe an application of responsive virtual humans to train law enforcement personnel in dealing with subjects that present symptoms of serious mental illness. JUST-TALK provides a computerized virtual person to interact with the student in a role-playing environment. Students were able to converse with the virtual person using spoken natural language and see and hear the virtual personality
a combination of facial gesture, body movements, and spoken language. The JUST-TALK project, funded by the National Institute of Justice Office of Science and Technology and developed by RTI International, involved integrating virtual reality training software within a 3-day class at the North Carolina Justice Academy. The course was structured to include classroom-based lecture, videos, discussion, live human role-playing, and virtual human role-playing.
A scientific evaluation of the class and the software system was carried out by North Carolina State University. This assessment investigated the contribution of natural language interfaces and virtual reality technology to learning in this applied setting. Results of the evaluation are extremely encouraging. The vast majority of students (88 percent) found the simulation easy to use. A majority of the students said the virtual trainer enhanced their learning in the course. As a training tool, students rated the computer simulation on par with other training methods including lecture, role-play and discussion. A total of 59 percent of students felt the simulation was better for learning or comparable to role-play; 77 percent felt simulation was better than or comparable to lecture; and 59 percent felt the simulation was better than or comparable to discussion.